Nov 24 2008
Disturbia’s digital power
It’s a great track, a strong contender for Rihanna’s best, and it holds the record for biggest selling download-only single. Digital downloads have played an important part in a significant change in buyer power, and Disturbia at nearly 300,000 downloads represents opportunities for artists to distribute niche tracks away from corporate marketing restraints.
Of course, the impact of MTV on music sales, and the ongoing video promotion on all music channels, helped make Disturbia such a success. The combination of high fashion, bondage, warrior queens, pounding bass beats and gyrating dancers is hard to resist.
Downloads can also free us from time and geographical boundaries, allowing people anywhere on the planet the opportunity to discover and download at their own pace. This freedom provides opportunities for a rapid expansion of ‘buzz’ and that can lead to the digital equivalent of impulse buying. Everyone is talking about a song, and you plug in too.
